[Ceramic artist: Hiroki Nakao interview, part 1] The world that expanded by jumping into it

── What made you decide to pursue pottery?

Ever since I was little, I loved making things and enjoyed drawing pictures and creating three-dimensional objects.

With this background in mind, I joined the pottery club in high school.

That was my first encounter with pottery.

At that time, I was making objects.

I enjoyed making things, but at the time I never imagined that I would become a potter.

I studied literature and drama at university.

During that time, I was away from pottery for a while.

When it came time to look for a job, I was torn between theater and pottery, but I ultimately chose pottery because I wanted to create things.

Luckily, there was a job opening at a workshop in Shigaraki, and I was able to get the job.

The workshop mainly produced tableware, and it was there that I discovered the joy of making tableware.

After that, I studied pottery in earnest at the Shigaraki Ceramic Testing Center.

After graduating, I looked for a job, but there weren't many openings at the time, so before I knew it, I had become a writer (laughs).

── What kind of vessel is your ideal?

The ideal dish is not only beautiful to look at, but also becomes even more beautiful the moment food is placed on it.

I think that a dish has a purpose, so I get the impression that it only becomes complete once something is placed in it and it is used.

I also want to create vessels that lift people's spirits and give them energy when they use them.

── Is there a reason why you decided to set up your workshop in Shigaraki?

I wanted to make pottery in Shigaraki, a place I have a special attachment to, and for some time I had been looking for a property with a kiln and a workshop.

I came across this property by chance.

It's a very relaxing place surrounded by nature.

I like it because it allows me to approach my work with a calm mind.

── Please tell us about the soil that supports your production.

I have the clay blended by a trusted clay maker in Shigaraki.

The glaze I use is very unique, and if I use ordinary clay, the clay will be overpowered by the glaze.

So I asked them to develop a soil that would fully support my expression.

He is truly a "soil expert" and always helps me out.

── Where do you get your inspiration for colors?

Everything the sun shines on. Everything can be a clue.

I sometimes get inspiration from other artists' pottery, lacquerware, cakes, Japanese sweets...it really comes from a wide variety of sources.

I'm the type of person who draws images as I create, and one of my themes is expressing nature.

The colors used in the work also reflect various images.

To me, blue is the color of the earth, and yellow represents the sun, light, and human potential.

-- How do you create these unique layering colors?

A white glaze is used as the base, and yellow, green, and blue are layered on top.

A unique fluctuation is created where white and color overlap.

In the past, I had a lot of trouble with glazes that are not stable on their own.

One day, I suddenly came up with the idea of layering, and since then I've been able to make them consistently.

Now it has become a representative piece of my style.

The second part will be released tomorrow.